Shake It Out
by footshooter
Summary: Songfic based heavily around Florence and the Machine's song of the same name as the, ah, title. Not meant as slash but if you wanna see it that way, feel free. Batman and the Joker's relationship towards 'the end'.


_Regrets collect like old friends  
>Here to relive your darkest moments<br>_

Bruce could hear them gathering around him, bristling in the shadows, waiting for their moment to pounce. The air was suffocating, pressing down on to him, crushing.

_I can see no way, I can see no way  
>And all of the ghouls come out to play<em>

The Joker melted out of the darkness in front of him, stalking into view and stopping. He stared at Bruce (Batman), his eyes sucking in the light and giving nothing back, his face twisted into a permanent grin by the scars, a smirk passing across his painted lips.

_And every demon wants his pound of flesh  
>But I like to keep some things to myself<em>

They circled each other, tense but not yet with weapons drawn. The world narrowed down until their surroundings were black and they were the only things left in it.

_I like to keep my issues drawn  
><em>

The Joker didn't need to know about all of the things in his head. He didn't need to know Bruce was crumbling inside. That he was relating to the other man. That he was agreeing. That he _needed _the pull they had between them…

_It's always darkest before the dawn_

_And I've been a fool and I've been blind_

Bruce had tried to hide it. Tried to deny it. Tried to push it out of the way and pretend to Alfred and Lucius that he was _happy _the Joker was in Arkham. That he was _enjoying _the calm. He'd been an idiot to deny it. The Joker had gotten inside his head and he couldn't seem to kick him out.

_I can never leave the past behind_

He had hidden the desire, the flame, the _want_ of the fight in hatred. For Rachel. For Harvey. He somehow still was holding the façade upright, snarling at the Joker, spitting corruption at him, but it was empty and meaningless.

_I can see no way, I can see no way  
>I'm always dragging that horse around<em>

In destroying everything Bruce had outside of Batman, the Joker had won. He has his full attention. Their dance was now Bruce's world. Because Alfred had told him eventually that Rachel was going to marry Harvey. It eased Bruce's guilt, but also sucked all of the feeling out of him. He'd been convinced they'd be together. It was his one hope. His one redemption.

_All of these questions, such a mournful sound_

He had wondered whether the Joker loved him like a teenage girl obsessed with a boyband? Whether his obsession was purely mental, or whether it travelled further south. He knew he got off on the pain but didn't know whether that was general, or solely channelled towards Batman. He wondered what the Joker would do if Bruce's mask lay on the floor beside them. Whether he'd want Bruce Wayne's attention, or whether it was only ever directed at Batman.

He wondered whether he felt the same, and if that was why he was trying to fit alterior motives to a madman's attempt at getting to him.

Because if they did _love _each other, then that was pretty fucked up.

_Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground_

The Joker had held off for long enough, and he pounced. Bruce sidestepped the blade heading in the direction of one of the breaks in his armour. He was once again struck by how much the Joker must know about him, and how much attention he must have paid. Bruce grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

He could do it. Right now. Fuck the rule. He could drop the Joker off the building and turn away so he didn't see him hit the floor. The Joker egged him on, telling him to do it, _begging_ him to do it.

_So I like to keep my issues drawn_

Because he knew as soon as he was falling through the air, Bruce would jump with him. They'd hit the floor in the same spot and their blood would join because it was _the same_ and where ever they went, they'd be together.

_But it's always darkest before the dawn_

_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah_  
><em>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah<em>

Bruce shook his head to clear it of the fog, and dumped the Joker on the floor.

_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
>So shake him off, oh woah<em>

He seemed mildly disappointed.

I am done with my graceless heart  
>So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart<p>

Bruce was torn as of what to do. He was sick of hurting. About Harvey. About the city. About Rachel. He was _sick _of being Gotham's hero. He'd had enough.

_Cause I like to keep my issues drawn_

The Joker could sense this, and a prickle of panic spread down his spine. He jumped to his feet, trying to force Batman back into action. Bruce pushed him away, and the Joker growled.

_It's always darkest before the dawn_

_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah  
>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah<em>

Bruce knew he needed to break the spell.

_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
>So shake him off, oh woah<br>_

He knew he needed to put the Joker back into Arkham. To save the city.

_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back so shake him off_

But the city had been so shitty to him. So why should he bother?

_And given half the chance would I take any of it back_

"Would you?"

"No. I wouldn't, Joker. The deaths, the destruction, the scars. None of it."

_It's a fine romance but its left me so undone_

"You've fucked me up big time."

"Join the club, darling."

_It's always darkest before the dawn_

_Oh woah, oh woah..._

"Let's leave."

_And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't_

Bruce thought about it.

"What?"

_So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road_

"Let's leave Gotham, all these small time minds who don't _understand_ us. We can go somewhere else. Do anything else. No death, no destruction, just you and me and maybe ripping off a couple of mobsters. We can drink, and go to clubs and eat pizza, do whatever the fuck normal people do. No one would know us."

"Why?"

The Joker smiled.

"It's only ever been about you and me, really."

The Joker looked away, and to the floor, "You must know that."

_And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope_

Bruce didn't know where they could go or what they could do, but he was sure his fortune could keep them afloat.

_It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat_

He didn't know whether the Joker would ever be satisfied without blowing a few things up. He didn't know whether he'd ever be satisfied without Batman. But at that present moment he was willing to give it a go. Even if it would probably end up worse than it already was.

_Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me_

Trying to fix Batman, Bruce had switched sides.

_Looking for heaven, found the devil in me_

He didn't agree with the killing, he didn't agree with what the Joker was doing, but he needed to reach out and the man standing in front of him staring so intently was the only thing he had left.

_Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me_

"Okay."

_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah_  
><em>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah<em>  
><em>And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back<em>  
><em>So shake him off, oh woah<em>

Bruce didn't want to be alone anymore.

_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah_  
><em>Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah<em>

The Joker smiled and put the knife away; Bruce removed his mask.

He was tired of fighting.

Bruce ran his hands through his hair, and the Joker put his head to one side and watched, fascinated. He ran his sleeve over his face and smudged the paint together, not really showing his skin off at all. Bruce laughed, and it was genuine, and it felt good.

Neither of them were mad.

They were drawn together by an invisible cord.

They might as well just go with it. What was really the point in fighting it?

_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back_

Because they weren't the devil. The fight was.

_So shake him off_

And they were prepared to get rid of it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is as close to slash as I will _ever _be capable of writing, and really, it's not even that (c'mon, read the novels people!). The lyrics are by _Florence and the Machine _and the song is, quite obviously, _Shake It Out_. It's a fairly beautiful song. But I wouldn't pick a non-beautiful song now, would I? Thanks for reading!**


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